Shadow-Taken (5e Background)

Shadow-Taken

The dark forces of the world lie in wait constantly. They appear only to strike, and few can predict their targets or intentions. All that can be said is that they harbor malice. In Grisaire, under the lazing eye of the thrones, dark forces have been allowed to fester and manifest in ways the gods are blind to. They used to require incubation in the hearts of men, but now, their forms are much more sinister and pronounced. These shadows, the Uncreated, serve to plague society and strike fear and chaos into the society of gods. Over the years, their powers remain in this world as a source of paranoia. Some, like the Ashen Face, have come to come to revere the Uncreated, and assist in gruesome ritual sacrifices that ended in kidnappings and murder.

You were a victim of such circumstances. One way or another, your life was taken by these dark forces and warped beyond normalcy. Perhaps your family was killed by cultists and you were nearly sacrificed to one of the three great Uncreated horrors. Maybe actual Uncreated attacked your town and touched you with its corruption, tainting your body forever. One way or another, neither your soul nor your body escaped unscathed. The powers of the Uncreated are perverse and you have an uncanny sense for them, having been at their mercy before.

This connection with the Uncreated typically manifests in hatred. Many who devote their lives to hunting the Uncreated were shadow-taken, with the scars to show. However, the madness instilled by the mere sight of Uncreated sometimes drives one over the edge. There are shadow-taken who have become obsessed and enamored with their former masters, seeking to serve the Uncreated in their quest to take over Grisaire. Still yet are the shadow-taken who adopt the mindset of hubris. Seeking to empower themselves with a power they do not understand, they hunt for secrets to the Uncreated, seeking to hone and tame their powers for their own, warped gain.

Consider all of this when making your shadow-taken character. Having had such a horrific experience does not leave one unchanged. How has your character changed from the incident when they were tainted and defiled? Do they seek revenge at all, or are they merely more intrigued than ever? Is this a big reason behind why your character travels?

Skill Proficiencies: Arcana, Intimidation

Tool Proficiencies: Alchemist supplies

Languages: Deep Speech

Equipment: A set of common clothes, a trinket stained black by corruption, and a belt pouch containing 2 gp

Specialization: Corruption Origin

Shadow-taken are corrupted in a few ways on Grisaire. Few are by accident. How was your character touched by the abyss?

d4	Origin
1	You were abducted and used as part of a dark experiment by a cult.
2	In your search for knowledge through forbidden books and rituals, you accidentally stumbled upon powerful forces that tainted you forever.
3	You were actually touched by one of the Uncreated during one of their terrible attacks on your hometown, though you survived.
4	After a horrid dream, you awoke with the dark affliction, a sign of being marked by the powerful Uncreated through mental manipulation.

Feature: Uncreated Sense

Due to the corruption on your body, you gain an unnatural sense for the Uncreated. You are keenly aware of the presence and essence of Uncreated within your vicinity. You might get prickly sensations or experience discomfort around their influence. For example, if there is a cultist noble keeping Uncreated in his basement, you might get a gut feeling something is off when you enter the premises. Discuss with your DM the extent of your ability to sense these horrid aberrations. It remains at the DM's discretion how well you can sense based on the source's presence.

Suggested Characteristics

The Shadow Taken have a will of their own, even with the Shadow constantly fighting them in their mind.

d6	Personality Trait
1	I have a stunted sense of fear due to my horrible experience.
2	I believe my experience has made me stronger than everyone else.
3	I remain timid as a mouse after seeing horrors.
4	I like to babble.
5	I have become hardened from my view of the "true world."
6	I have come to love the dark.

d4	Ideal
1	Power. I will do anything in my power to obtain more of it. (Chaotic)
2	Selflessness. I have been gifted a second chance from my harrowing experience, I will protect others to the best of my ability. (Good)
3	Honor. I was smirched by this horrid affliction... and I must regain my old self. (Neutral)
4	Hate. This world's false gods stand idle. I will bring them down as the darkness commands. (Evil)

d6	Bond
1	I... I had my entire life taken from me. I have no one left...
2	There are people I need to protect from a fate similar to my own.
3	I have given up on living. Nothing entices me anymore.
4	Someone saved me from the dark abyss of despair... I want to repay them.
5	People dear to me need to be able to sleep safely without fear of the Uncreated.
6	My intense hatred of the world drives me to act.

d6	Flaw
1	Acting on hatred, I rarely think on consequences.
2	I fail to think of the plight of others and focus too much on myself.
3	My hopes for destruction are flawed in and of themselves. I have become a corrupted, detestable weapon.
4	My fear prevents me from saving anyone.
5	I have developed a fear of the dark.
6	I blame everyone but myself for anything bad that happens.

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